In the current computer system, system designers usually have some difficulties of hardware and software in designing and debugging motherboard. Generally, the designers solve those problems with debugging engine or software debugging program. For example, logical analyzer (LA) and SCOPES is used to sample working period of PCI and wave pattern of signal and hardware ICE is used to capture the instruction flow of CPU, or software ICE is used to capture the instruction flow of operating system.
However, these hardware tools such as LA, SCOPES, hardware ICE, etc. are very expensive, and whose operation procedures are too complicated to meet the demand of users interface. On the other hand, although the costs of debugging by software ICE tool program are not as expensive as hardware tools, they are not cheap, either. And, the usage of software tool program is limited while operating system is starting at the power-on stage; however, some other bugs are still may happen before the system initiated. Furthermore, debugging system by software ICE tool program will change the execution procedure from operating system that would cause other unpredictable bugs. This is why the usage of software ICE tool program is not an effective choice.
Thus, the main purpose of present invention is to develop an effective and low cost debugging tool that makes system design more convenient and the debugging procedure simpler.